MUNCIE, Ind. – On Sept. 22, the Vivian V. Conley and Hurley C. Goodall Jr. Multicultural Center saw laughs, learning, and a lavish meal. The Asian Student Union and Japanese Culture Club joined forces to host “Onigiri Night” that evening, teaching dozens of members how to make the traditional Japanese dish, as well as the history and meaning behind it.
Onigiri consists of tuna mixed with an array of Japanese condiments, covered in a ball of rice, which is then wrapped in a strip of seaweed.
The history behind Onigiri dates back at least 2,000 years. Going from a luxury enjoyed by nobility, to rationed food during wartime, to a universal dish enjoyed by all, Onigiri has quite a history with a delicious journey.
The president of the JCC, Karina Stoltz, believes that teaching Japanese culture, through the form of Onigiri, is essential.
“I think it’s important for people to understand about different cultures because we’re around a lot of different cultures every day, whether that be just the way people live from day-to-day to coming from a whole different country,” Stoltz said.
At the meeting, students had the opportunity to pick their own fillings and condiments, and watch as their onigiri was formed and wrapped to perfection.
Though it’s located on the other side of the globe, Ball State’s Asian Student Union and Japanese Culture Club brought a little piece of Japan to Muncie that night.
Contact Radley Richman with comments at radley.richman@bsu.edu.
